The Popularity of the Antihero

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The Popularity of the Antihero
Brave, moral and good is what one would expect from anyone admirable. These characters are supposed to be exemplary role models and serve as virtual beacons. They are the traditional heroes expected to inspire society towards a particular action. On the other hand, there are the amoral, dishonest, and imperfect ones. These antiheroes are deeply flawed with anything anyone can imagine. Traditionally, these characters are to be avoided at all costs. However, narrative features featuring antiheroes have become more abundant in the entertainment industry. The idea that antiheroes have become popular has drawn the interest of researchers. For instance, Robert B. Ray’s “The Thematic Paradigm” and Abraham Riesman’s “What We Talk about When We Talk about Batman and Superman” explore the evolution of the modern portrayal of antiheroes and icons in comics, film, and TV. There has been a shift from the popularity of the hero in the favor of the antihero. The article explores reasons for the popularity of the antihero while also presenting the event that triggered the change from the traditional hero.
Modern society faces challenges that require an unconventional character to address them, which fits perfectly with an antihero. The Western antihero differs significantly from the traditional hero's representation as a flawed hero. The antihero acts operate in a lawless frontier and do not embody the traditional hero's usual qualities like a sacrifice. Flavia Brizio-Skov, professor in the Languages department at The University of Tennessee Knoxville, delves into the issue of the antihero in his piece, “Popular Italian Cinema: Culture and Policy in a Postwar Society.” Brizio-Skov (88) indicates that the antihero destabilizes society and kills the bad guy. After achieving the goal, the antihero disappears, leaving someone else to reestablish law and order. Hence, the antihero conveniences the audience that in a world where systems do not work, the only way out is through violence and rebellion.
Moreover, America is increasingly becoming anticulture. Society remains restrictive to issues that people consider fundamental. According to Angelic Drappa, an author in the creative industry indicates that in America today, the existence of “thou-shalt-not” continues to force people to live in a web of mutually enforcing taboos that are challenging to overcome. To liberate themselves, more Americans have started resisting the established norms in favor of what they consider liberal. The hero complies with societal expectations, and the antihero moves against the established standard. The antihero allows the audience to liberate themselves from socially held beliefs of what is right and wrong. Instead, such characters shift the attention of the viewer to limitless possibilities. Antiheroes have become a platform where the audience can break the limitations of the restrictive culture. They allow people to explore the possibilities if they choose to break the traditional norms of what it means to be a hero.